Study: Subway tubes can accommodate light rail transit

A new Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments (OKI) study looking at the future use of the City’s subway tunnels was presented to the OKI Intermodal Coodinating Committee on September 9.The Cincinnati Subway Conversion Study, conducted by URS Corporation, looks at three possible options for the segment of tunnels between the Western Hills Viaduct and the underground stations at Race Street, Liberty Street, and Brighton: maintaining the tunnels, filling them, or improving them for light rail transit.A 2006 inspection showed that the overall condition of the tunnels is fair to good, but ten locations show signs of advanced deterioration, mostly caused by water leakage at construction joints.The Race Street and Liberty Street stations were found to be in generally good condition, and the Brighton station was in fair condition with deterioration to the roof slab and beams.The study also finds that, with a few modifications, light rail transit in the tunnels is feasible.Estimated to cost $115 million, $85 million would be dedicated to hard construction costs, $15 million to soft costs, and $15 million for water main and communications line relocation.New platforms and headhouses would be required for all three stations, as well as new construction for ticketing and other related transit functions.The study recommends: Maintaining the tunnels ($3 million) and developing a funding strategy any long-term decision Planning for the relocation of the water main and communication lines Continuing documentation for a potential local funding match Studying future light rail transit impacts to the CBD street grid and the feasibility of extending the tunnel system along the I-71 corridor and down Walnut Street, past the Riverfront Transit Center, and into Covington Studying the possibility of running light rail along Central Parkway Writer: Kevin LeMasterSource: Cincinnati Subway Conversion Study, OKI